1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fluid transfer tube that can prevent damage to a pipe joint caused by freezing and expansion of a fluid.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a state in which a fluid within a tube and a pipe joint is hermetically sealed in a condition in which a tube connecting portion (for example, a so-called “barb connection”) of a pipe joint is mounted to an end of a tube, a phenomenon occurs in which, as the outside air temperature drops below freezing point, a fluid that is moving from a midway part of the tube towards the pipe joint side freezes. At that time, if the tube connecting portion is a tube connecting portion of a pipe joint at an end of a tube as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-351333A, a phenomenon occurs in which the pipe joint is damaged by freezing and expansion of the fluid.
In this connection, it is inadvisable to make design changes to the pipe joint based on respective conditions in order to prevent the phenomenon described above from occurring. This is because costs will arise such as expenses necessary to change the design and expenses for the molding tools.